Pubdate: Fri, 01 May 2009
Source: Red and Black, The (U of Georgia, GA Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Red and Black Publishing Co., Inc.
Contact:  http://www.redandblack.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2800
Author: Carey O'Neil

NORML GOES UP IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE

This semester left a University marijuana advocacy group dazed and 
confused about its rights as a student organization.

The University chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of 
Marijuana Laws plans to appeal a sanction of two years probation, 
claiming the group was punished too harshly.

After a hearing spanning two days, NORML was found to have violated 
University trademarks and failed to follow the instructions of 
University officials.

NORML officers contest the decision, claiming the logo in question is 
a satire and the intellectual property of the artist. They said NORML 
did everything in its power to follow officials' instructions.

The logo depicts a cartoon bulldog smoking while studying underneath the Arch.

On Feb. 11, University officials from the Center for Student 
Organizations contacted NORML via e-mail, asking the organization to 
cease distribution of T-shirts bearing the logo and to remove the 
logo from its Web site.

Later in the week, CSO contacted NORML officers again, saying the 
organization could continue selling the shirts, but were barred from 
printing any more.

On Feb. 16, NORML was contacted by Joshua Podvin, assistant director 
of student activities and organizations, who asked for all unsold 
T-shirts. Podvin also gave the organization a deadline for removing 
the logo from the Web site.

Wojciech Kaczkowski - a junior from Krakow, Poland, and president of 
NORML - responded to the messages, saying NORML had sold all of its 
shirts and was unable to alter its site because the member who ran it 
was out of the country.

After the deadline passed and NORML had not removed the image from 
its site, the organization was informed it was thought to be in 
violation of the University code of conduct, initiating the judicial 
process. NORML was offered a sanction of one year of probation so 
long as they admitted to the violations in question.

NORML decided not to accept the offer.

At the hearing, Kaczkowski contested the logo was not a trademark 
violation and the organization had done everything possible to meet 
officials' demands.

The University advocate claimed the logo and the organizations' 
inability to meet officials' deadlines were clearly in violation of 
University policy.

Despite their troubles with the University, NORML members continue to 
petition for the decriminalization of holding less than seven grams 
of marijuana.

Kaczkowski said NORML hopes to have enough signatures on its petition 
to get this proposition on the ballot for 2010.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart